Subcaliber cartridge.



Patented Nov |2, l90l.

M. J. WH'EELEB. SUBCALIBER CARTRIDGE.

(Ap plication filed. Jan. 15, 1991.)

(No ModeL) 'Z z LA//////////////////// UNITED STATESK PATE NT OFFICE MORRIS J. WI-IEELER, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACIIUSETTS.

SUBCALBER CARTRIDGE. T

` srEcmcA'rIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 636375, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed 'l'amary 15. 1901. Serial No. 43,314. (No model.) v

To all whom rit mdy concern: Be it known that I, MORRIS .I. WHEELER, 'a

citizen' of the United States, and a resident of Westfield, in the county of Hanpden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Subcaliber Cartridges for Small-Arms, of which the following is a specification. i

My improvements relate to that class of subcaliber projectile for' rifie small-arms in which the projectile is inclosed 'and held by a sabot or jacket of wood or other soft material adapted to transmit a rotation to the projectile and to itself be exploded or dissipated at the muzzle of the piece; and'the object of my improvements is the provision of a sabot which in fulfilling the above named conditions will insure greater accuracy to the flight of the projectile and greater unifornity in the results from the use of the ammunition. My invention consists in the Construction as hereinafter described and more fully pointed out in the claims, and the invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a vertical central section of" a Cartridge-shell seating a sabot containing a subcaliber ball, the sabot being also shown Fig. II is a ver-.

in a central vertical section. tical central section of a shell, showing a sabot in elevation. Fig. III is a top plan view of the sabot. Fig. lV is a bottom plan View of the same.

Referring to the drawings, b (preferably of the diameter of the bullet whose place it' takes, so as to take the rifling of a barrel in passing through it.

The sabot b, as shown, is a fiat-ended eylinder, preferably of Wood,

- major portion of its length, having a central cylindrical bore d; but the sabot has a solid base, as shown in section,`Fig. I. The body .distance in front of the projectile.

`sabot and projectile leave the nuzzle the atmospheric resistance is so great as to split the 4 'rotary notion therein, which motion it will flat ends and of several diame--` and is hollow for the' of the cylinder is divided, as shown at c, on 5 radial lines from the front end to about the bottom of the cylindrical bore. Four cuts are shown, but the number is not essential.

The projectile h, preferably a round bullet or shot, is entirely inclosed 'in the sabot b, the open end of said sabot extending some little The eifect of the cuts c, made entirely through the walls of the sabot, is to pernit the biting in of the cylindrical sabot suflicien-tly to grasp the projectile firmly. When the Cartridge is'fired in a gun, the sabot and projectile move together along the bore of the gun in the same manner that a bullet usually does; but when the sabot and throw it oif from the projectile, leaving the latter to fly alone. The sabot should fit the bore of a rifie so as to acquire impart to the projectile before leaving the muzzle and dropping e& from the projectile.

I am aware that Milbank, in a patent dated May 30, 1871, describes a sabot composed of Wood and which might have external inci sionsg but as such sabot did not have a solid base it obviously could not have incisions exi tending through its outer walls or the sabot would fall from the projectile. I have, however, discovered that a sabot without a solid base'is defective for the purpose. l an also aware that a patent to Hubbell, dated April 23, 1872, describes a sabot or carrier of paper-pnlp, with a solid base and with side walls which inclose the sides of a bullet, but do not extend to the point thereof. I do not claim such a device.

` The function of a'sabot is correctly described in the above-mentioned patent to Hubbell. It isto grasp and hold a projectile without distorting the form thereof, so that the projectile proper may 'leave the gun unmarred by the action of the lands and grooves of the rifling. A patch for a projectile differs from a sabot in that the patch is compressed by the lands of the gun into the soft body of the projectile, so tha-t the projectile is roughened and ofiers agreater and rougher surface to the resis'tance of the air in its flight. Asabot possesses considerable rigidity. A patch is always thin and flexible.

What I claim is 1. In combination with a bullet, a sabot inelosing said bullet and having a solid base,

' sabot to the solid base, substantially as de scribed.

3. In combinaton with a bullet,`a woeden -t-ially as described.

sabothaving a central bore, solid base, and side walls slitted enti relyflrough their thiekness, and a cartridge-shell inelosing the base of said sabot.

4. In conbination with an nclosed bullet, a wooden sabot having a central bore in-whieh the projectile is inclosed; said sabot having side walls extending in front of the projectile, the side Walls being slitted, and having a solid closed base behind the projectile, substan- MORRIS J. WHEELER. Witnesses: x

.R. F. HYDE,

H. S. CULLUMNS. 

